Signs With Authority – A 55′ long Precision Board Sign

Talk about a sign with some authority! Jeff Wisdom, owner of Oregon SignWorks in Springfield, OR, sent in some pictures of a particularly impressive project he recently completed.

Suspended under a massive 11,000 lb., 85′ long, 36″ diameter Douglas Fir timber is a 55′ long Precision Board Plus sign. Built for the Oregon Garden Resort, the sign consists of 6 full 4′ x 8′ sheets of 1″ thick PBLT-18 and one additional 36″ wide piece. The words “Oregon Garden” were spelled out using 1″ thick PBLT-18 letters cut on Jeff’s MultiCam CNC router. Dibond was used as a core material for additional strength.

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Using some critical thinking and elbow grease, Jeff was able to hand-carve realistic looking wood grain into the sign. To accomplish this, several custom tools were used: a 3-prong garden hoe Jeff bent into a custom shape for the larger grain lines and a Nu-Pride Adhesive Spreader with the teeth filed down for the finer grain lines. The knots were shaped using a traditional v-groove wood carving tool. After the wood grain simulation was finished, Jeff primed the sign using FSC-88WB Primer/Filler and painted it with Sherwin-Williams acrylic paint. As you can see, the sign turned out beautiful.

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Supporting the sign is a massive timber structure that was constructed by Nash Logworks, located in Cottage Grove, OR. Each upright log was held in place by two 1/2″ thick x 6″ wide and 8′ long metal plates attached to each side. For structural strength, 4′ of each metal plate was tied down into the concrete and secured with rebar. Coats of Sikkens exterior stain provided weatherproofing and coloring. Total dimensions of the timber structure are 22′ tall x 85′ wide!

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Not to be overlooked is the beautiful 3-d sign located beneath the larger, hanging sign. Cut on Jeff’s CNC router out of PBLT-18, there was a whopping 6 different layers of Precision Board used to create a sharp 3-d look. The finer details were carved into the CNC cut sign with hand tools, and it was finished with the same primer/paint process as the larger sign.

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Jeff started making signs out in Los Angeles, CA in 1987 and eventually opened his own sign shop in his home state of Oregon in 1994. After spending a couple of years making vinyl signs, a visit to a trade show sparked his interested in dimensional signwork and he has specialized in them ever since. As a big fan of hand-carving, Jeff likes Precision Board Plus because of the absence of wood grain and the ease of cutting/carving.

Be sure to check out his website at: www.oregonsignworks.com to see more amazing signs!

 

 

Dan Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation

Perhaps one of the most innovative forces in the signage industry today, Dan Sawatzky and his Imagination Corporation are a household name among many sign makers. Dan has been a friend of Coastal for many years and is a huge fan of Precision Board Plus, especially the higher densities such as PBLT-30 and PBLT-40.

Kellie Miller, our Customer Relations Manager has been friends with Dan since the late 90’s after meeting at Rick Glawson’s Letterhead meet. Dan was interested in incorporating HDU into some of his creations, and proceeded to test out different brands, with Precision Board Plus emerging as the winner.

Since then, Dan has used Precision Board Plus HDU exclusively and has won many awards for his work. One of the coolest things about Dan is also his willingness to help and teach others. This is evident in the sign and sculpting workshops he holds at his shop in Chilliwack, BC Canada. In addition to Precision Board Plus HDU, Dan also uses FSC-88WB Primer/FillerPB Bond-240, and Abracadabra Sculpt.

Besides signs, he is also heavily involved in interior and exterior architectural theming and readily incorporates Precision Board Plus into his themed environments. Dan routes most of his projects on his MultiCam 3000 Series 4-axis CNC router using  software.

His blog is updated frequently and has extremely detailed tips on how he makes the magic happen with his signs, sculptures and themed environments. We host it on our website in addition to this one, so if you have a second, be sure to check it out!

****Update: Dan Sawatzky’s next Sign Magic workshop will be held this November 6 – 8 in Hackensack, NJ. Full information available here.

Here is some of the award winning work done made by Dan:

2012 International Competition – Signs of the Times

Fox and Hounds Pub – Second Place in the Sign Systems category

 

2011 International Competition – Signs of the Times

First Place – Commercial Sign Systems – MultiCam Western Canada

 Second Place – Commercial Monument Signs – Dhillon Farms

 Third Place – Commercial Building Signs – Shmyer’s Harbor Sign

2010 Sign Media – Canadian National Competition

Best in Show & Winner – Unique Signs – Sextant

Companion Products For HDU – Prime, Texture, Laminate & Bond!

Interested in trying out some of our Companion Products? Your local distributor doesn’t have them in stock?

No need to worry! We always have all of them in stock at Coastal Enterprises – TSF-45, PB Resin, PB Hardcoat, Adhesives, Primers and Fillers. As long as we receive an order from your distributor before 1:00PM PST, it will ship from our Orange, CA location the same day, right to your door if needed.

This means that you can put on that high-gloss PB Resin protective finish on your sign, or use the right adhesive to laminate those Precision Board Plus sheets because you will receive what you need promptly!

All of our Companion Products have been designed for use on Precision Board Plus HDU, and can also be used on many other materials. Trust what the experts use when crafting a professional sign. Want to try before you buy? Contact us for FREE samples!

Also be sure to check out our full gallery of step-by-step videos.

Also check out this Precision Board Plus sign made using PB Resin. Created by David Sherby at SherWood Sign & Graphic Design in Crystal Falls, MI.

 

 

Priming HDU – Tips From The Experts

Want to know how the experts prime their signs for an ultra smooth finish? Check out some tips on priming your sign using FSC-88WB Primer/Filler!

First of all, FSC-88WB Primer/Filler is a water-based, high build primer designed for use on Precision Board Plus HDU. It also works well on wood, metal and concrete. Typical primers do not have the amount of solids required to fill the cells of HDU without many coats – a problem we addressed by creating FSC-88WB.

In order to give your sign the smoothest coat possible, be sure to keep these tips in mind:

When Spraying FSC-88WB:

  • Thin only as necessary, usually about 40% +/-, to desired spraying consistency using water. Final thinning will depend on type of spray equipment and operator. Spray at about 40 psi with max size tip available. Adjust thinning for maximum hide and smoothest surface application.
  • First coat should be a little lighter than subsequent coats. Allow to dry, usually about 10 minutes. Do not sand between coats. When tack free, apply next coat a little heavier than first coat. If surface has to reached the smoothness desired, wait until tack free and apply next coat. When spraying, multiple thin coats are recommended over fewer, thicker coats.
  • Be sure to use a large tip, such as a 2.7mm or 3mm tip for your HVLP spray gun.
  • FSC-88WB also works well when used in a “cup gun.”
  • Unlike traditional primers, FSC-88WB reduces viscosity by compression, which causes it to atomize. Other primers reduce viscosity only by thinning.
When Brushing or Rolling FSC-88WB:
  • Reduce the FSC-88WB about 15% with water to reduce roller drag and extend drying time.
  • Always use a short-knap cloth roller – 1/4″ or 3/8″. A heavy knap roller will leave too much texture.
  • Be sure to roll/paint in several different directions to ensure full wet out of the Precision Board Plus cells.
  • Do not use a foam roller! Foam rollers will pick up just as much primer as they put on, leaving no primer build.
Drying/Sanding Precision Board Plus HDU:
  • Allowing the primer to dry is very important. Because Precision Board Plus does not absorb water, all water must be forced out via the surface. If any water is still in the primer when it comes time to paint, blistering will occur.
  • You will know when it is dry when it does not ball up on the sandpaper while sanding it. The FSC-88WB should powder when it is being sanded.
  • Start out using a 120 grit sandpaper, and work your way up to 220 or 320.
  • After sanding, and before painting, place the sign under a shop fan for at least an hour. This will prevent moisture reabsorption, which can occur even if the primer has been applied days or weeks earlier.
Painting Over FSC-88WB:
  • Once  FSC-88WB is completely dry, it is compatible with all types of paints and finishes, including most lacquers, automotive paints, and even gold leafing.
  • All sides of the sign must be painted. This is due to Paint Tension Balance – because Precision Board Plus has no beam strength like wood, it can be pulled in the direction of the drying paint. This is eliminated by painting both front and back of the sign.
General Tips:
  • FSC-88WB can also be used as a filler. Simply place on something absorbent such as cardboard, and give it a few minutes to body up. It can then be used to fill cracks and seams.
  • One of the reasons FSC-88WB works so well is because it is so high in solids. High solids fill the cells of HDU much more efficiently than typical primer which has low solids.
  • Be careful not to apply the primer too thick, or place the shop fan too close as this can cause mud cracking.
  • Because of the high solids in FSC-88WB, for wood or plywood priming it must be reduced by about 50% in order for it to be absorbed.
  • FSC-88WB works very well on wood but it must be reduced with water to make it a “wood primer”:
    Simply pour half  of a gallon of full strength 88 into a clean, gallon sized paint bucket. Take this unmarked, 1/2 full bucket and add water to within about 1″ of the top. Thoroughly mix the water into the 88 to a very smooth consistency. Mark on this container WOOD PRIMER ONLY. You now have  a half gallon of FSC-88WB and almost a full gallon of Wood Primer – All for the price of 1 gallon of 88WB. For maximum wood sealing be sure to use at least 2 coats of “88 Wood Primer.” The first coat will be absorbed deep into the top surface.
Many of these tips can also be seen demonstrated on video in our video library.
Interested in trying FSC-88WB? Request a free sample here.
All priming was done by Insiginia, a full service sign shop located in Anaheim, CA.

How To Make A Sandblasted Precision Board HDU Sign

Sandblasting HDU can allow for many more interesting and subtle textures than a wood sign. In addition to sandblasting much quicker than wood, it allows the sandblaster to move much closer to the surface. Because of the low blasting pressure, the detail and shapes can be much more subtle.

This sign was sandblasted and finished by Insignia, a full service sign shop based in Anaheim, CA. Having sandblasted signs for over 20 years, they are sandblasting experts!

Step 1: Masking the Precision Board

Sandblasting HDU is done by applying a vinyl mask weeded from digital coordinates that are input into a plotter, or weeded by hand. All parts of the sign that will be sandblasted are cut from the mask, protecting any smooth surfaces you wish to keep.

Several different types of sandblast mask are available, from low, medium and high tack. Use a medium tack mask for pre-primed HDU, and a high-tack mask for unprimed HDU.


Step 2: Sandblasting Precision Board

Sandblasting Precision Board is just like sandblasting a lightweight wood. Recommended blasting pressure must be approximately 60 psi max. at the pot. This will allow for the unique textures only available with HDU.

Since the blasting pressure is low, the grit moves slower and takes out small pieces of the background instead of pulverizing the surface. This also means that a smaller compressor can be used, allowing almost anyone to make their own sandblasted sign.

Popular types of sandblast grit include clay sand and aluminum oxide. The density of the grit depends on which type of texture you desire. A larger grit will allow for a rougher texture, and finer grit allows for a smoother texture. Joseph Westbrook, owner of Insignia, specified that this sign was sandblasted using a 60/90 blend of Red Ruby Garnet, which is a great media to blast with because it is sharp, cuts nicely and is uniform in size. Background texture largely depends on the size of the medium.

Step 3: Priming the Precision Board:

Since not all paints adhere to raw HDU for the long term, it is necessary to prime Precision Board prior to painting. Coastal Enterprises manufactures FSC-88WB, a single component water based primer/filler. Any primer that is made for HDU will also work. FSC-88WB is a high build primer, able to be used on materials other than HDU and can be sprayed, brushed or rolled. We also have an excellent step-by-step video on priming Precision Board.

Step 4: Finishing the Precision Board

Any type of paint can be used on Precision Board once it is primed with FSC-88WB. Many of our customers use 1-Shot Paints. Coastal Enterprises also offers a complete line of applicable textures and coatings that allow the priming step to be skipped.

This is an example of a sandblasted Precision Board HDU sign:

Step 5: Send Us Photos Of Your Project!

If you send us pictures of your Precision Board project, we would love to feature your company in a blog or a newsletter! You can submit your work here.

Additional Tips:

  • Practice on test sheets. Request a free sample here.
  • Move the nozzle as evenly as possible.
  • Re-using old sandblast media can allow for better control and more detail
These are all Precision Board HDU sandblasted signs by the experts at Insignia: